Abstract
Summary
Systemic hypersensitivity to tuberculin in mice is compared with anaphylaxis and shock reactions following the injection of histamine-serotonin or endotoxin. Time of occurrence, symptomatology and cardiovascular parameters demonstrate a striking similarity between tuberculin shock and reactivity to bacterial endotoxin in tuberculous mice and clearly differentiate these reactions from anaphylaxis and from shock caused by histamine-serotonin or by endotoxin administered to nontuberculous mice. The findings are compatible with the view that nonimmunological mechanisms may underlie the pathogenesis of systemic tuberculin reactivity. A greatly increased susceptibility to bacterial lipopoly-saccharides in mycobacterial infections and the fact that endotoxins are common contaminants of tuberculin preparations may play a decisive role.
The skilled technical assistance of Mrs. H. Scherrer, Miss M. Gut, Mr. N. Kaufmann and Mr. L. Criscione is gratefully acknowledged.
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